Jack Kingston

Roll Call is reporting that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is open to allowing an amendment that would open American energy resources to drilling when the Senate takes up a bill on speculation this week.  (Full story here)

The question remains - will Speaker Pelosi allow for the same in the House?  So far, House Democrat leaders are so unwilling to allow for votes on opening American energy resources that they’ve completely haulted the appropriations process.

In case you missed it, Jack appeared on WTOC’s Mid Morning Live this morning to discuss Commerce Secretary Gutierrez’s visit to Savannah’s port and the ongoing Savannah Harbor Expansion Project.  To view the clip, click here.

Jack took to the House Floor today to praise House Democrats for finally hearing the call of their constituents and acting on energy legislation.  The only problem, is that their “DRILL NOW” bill does nothing but restate current law and the status quo will do nothing to bring down gas prices.  Not only does today’s bill do nothing to increase supply, it completely ignores the two other necessary components of a sound energy policy - conservation and innovation.

 To view Jack’s speech, click below:

 For more information on Jack’s push to realize America’s fuel independence, click here.

President’s Bush’s announcement yesterday that he was lifting the ban on offshore energy production has placed the ball firmly in Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid’s court.  They can continue obstructing America’s path toward realizing her fuel independence or allow the democratic process to take place and potentially open our domestic resources.

Two editorial boards succinctly make this point today.

• New York Post: “ONE STEP CLOSER TO CHEAPER OIL”
   Congressional Democrats are now the only ones holding up exploration for an estimated 86 billion barrels of American coastal oil.

President Bush yesterday lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling that had been in place since 1990, leaving Congress - whose own longstanding ban is up for renewal later this year - the chance to make a dent in energy prices.

Fat chance of that, though.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi predictably denounced Bush’s move as a giveaway to “big oil” - you know, the folks who pump the oil that heats American homes and powers American cars.  (Click here for the full article)

•  Wall Street Jounal: ‘Free Our Oil’
  That was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s catchphrase last week as she continued to grope for an energy policy. One of her ideas was to request “a small drawdown” in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, no irony intended. At least President Bush has finally called the Speaker’s bluff by rescinding the 1990 executive ban on offshore energy exploration.

With Mr. Bush’s belated decision yesterday, Congress’s moratorium on offshore drilling is now the last major political barrier to increasing domestic oil-and-gas production. Yet Democratic leaders have refused to schedule even a single hearing on the topic. (Click here for full article)

Jack took to the floor this morning to question why House Democrats continue their refusal to debate energy policy on the House floor.  Rather than bring up legislation that could even potentially serve as a vehicle to open up our resources and help drive down the cost of gas, Democrats have derailed the appropriations process and refuse to bring up any legislation that would answer the call of the American people.

In Jack’s speech, he notes that the nay-saying of House Democrats on opening up domestic resources means two things:

1. Even they admit that there are oil reserves available which we have not yet tapped.
2. They try to divert attention from that by talking about how long it would take to come up.  Not only are their timetables outrageously inflated but they do not consider that their one-size-fits-all approach of alternative vehicles has done nothing to solve this crisis.

In order to truly solve this energy crisis, we must take a three-legged approach.  First, is conservation - by using less oil we will bring down demand which will force down the cost of oil.  Second, we must explore our own domestic resources - America remains the only country in the world that restricts her domestic energy resources.  Third, we must us innovation to discover and produce more sources of alternative energy.

To view Jack’s speech, click below:

For more information on what Jack’s doing to combat high gas prices or to take his energy survey, click here.

According to the AP:

In another push to deal with soaring gas prices, President Bush on Monday will lift an executive ban on offshore drilling that his stood since his father was president. But the move, by itself, will do nothing unless Congress acts as well.

The president plans to officially lift the ban and then explain his actions in a Rose Garden statement, White House press secretary Dana Perino said.

There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and another by executive order signed by former President Bush in 1990. The current president, trying to ease market tensions and boost supply, called last month for Congress to lift its prohibition before he did so himself.

But Perino said Bush no longer wants to wait. She pinned blame on the leaders of the Democratic Congress, noting that no action has been taken on this issue.

“They haven’t even held a single hearing,” Perino said. “So we are going to move forward, and hopefully that will spur action by the Congress.”

Asked if Bush’s action alone will lead to more oil drilling, Perino said, “In terms of allowing more exploration to go forward? No, it does not.”

The president, in his final months of office, has responded to record gas-prices with a series of proposals, including more oil exploration. None would have immediate impact on prices at the pump, according to White House officials, who say there is no quick fix. But starting action now would help, they say.

Bush’s proposal echoes a call by Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, to open the Continental Shelf for exploration.

Congressional Democrats have rejected the push to lift the drilling moratorium, accusing the president of hoping the U.S. can drill its way out a problem. (Source)

President Bush is expected to make the announcement at a 1:30 press conference in the Rose Garden.

Last week, Jack joined many of his colleagues in calling on the President to do just that.  For a copy of the letter, click here.

For those of who may be confused, this blog is not the energy section of Jack’s website.  For a look at Jack’s comprehensive energy position, please click here.

Derek Hunter has a great piece in today’s Politico arguing against the “Fairness Doctrine” which is effectively government censorship on talk radio.  It’s on a long wishlist of “Those angry Democrats” who are mad because their domination of the media can’t carry over to the radio.

From the peice:

“You’d think something on which the Constitution is unambiguous (the First Amendment does say, ‘Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech’) would be settled beyond dispute, but history has proved otherwise…

“[T]oday’s politicians are too savvy to attempt this sort of full-frontal assault on speech.  Instead they’re employing a slightly different, more modern tactic - censorship in the name of diversity.”

To read the full article, click here.

Among other things, the article highlights Rep. Mike Pence’s efforts on the issue including an amendment to an appropriations bill that passed overwhelmingly last year and Speaker Pelosi’s refusal to bring up his “Broadcaster Freedom Act” to a vote for fear that it might pass.  For more information on the act from Rep. Pence’s office, click here.

A poll released today by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) shows most consumers in Georgia know about the  nationwide switch to digital television (DTV), which will be completed on February 17, 2009.

Conducted March 29 through May 23 by Smith-Geiger LLC, the survey reported  88 percent of Georgia households were aware that full-power television stations  will be switching their broadcast signals and programming to an all-digital format.  Across the country, consumer awareness of the DTV transition is nearly universal at 90 percent.

An estimated 324,420 homes in Georgia rely exclusively on over-the-air television, meaning they watch free TV broadcasts using rabbit ear or rooftop  antennas. These households will need to take steps to receive a digital television  signal by February 17, 2009, when all full-power stations must begin
broadcasting only in digital.

Among the survey’s key findings in Georgia:

• 88 percent of households are aware television is switching to digital
• 33 percent of households correctly stated the date of the transition
• 69 percent of households recalled seeing DTV messages on TV

Led by NAB, broadcasters nationwide are focusing their efforts on educating Americans about the actions they need to take to be prepared for the switch.  Over-the-air viewers must either purchase a converter box or digital TV set, or
subscribe to a pay service, such as cable or satellite. Local television and radio stations will continue running spots that highlight the transition date and the government‘s converter box coupon program, as well as explain the benefits of DTV and the ways consumers can upgrade to digital.

DTVAnswers.com is the official Web site of the National Association of Broadcasters’ digital television (DTV) transition campaign. Launched in January 2007, the DTV campaign’s mission is to ensure that no consumer is left
unprepared, due to lack of information, for the February 17, 2009, federallymandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting.

Jack took to the floor of the House this week to argue for bipartisan action on energy policy.  Jack and Congressman Eliot (D/NY-17) have been working together for years to bring real reform to our energy crisis.  Their bill, H.R. 670 “The D.R.I.V.E. Act” would provide tax incentives to increase the use and production of alternative fuels and new, more efficient vehicle technology.

To view the clip, click below:

For more information on what Jack’s doing to combat high gas prices, click here.Â

President Bush made this announcement in the Rose Garden.  More to come…

A Rasmussen poll released today shows that 67% of Americans favor opening up more of our outercontinental shelf to offshore drililng and that 64% believe it will lower gas prices.

That’s a pretty good indicator of the direction they’d like to see our government move yet, for some reason, it’s fallen on deaf ears here in Congress.  Just yesterday, Congressman John Peterson’s motion to do just this was voted down by Democrats in a subcommittee hearing (release here).

 It’s time to answer the call to open our domestic resources and bring down the price at the pump.  America is the ONLY nation in the world that restricts its domestic energy resources.  While we can’t drill our way out of this problem, we’ve got to start somewhere.

To see more about what Jack’s doing on energy prices, click here.  If you haven’t done so already, take Jack’s energy survey to show him what you’re willing to do to lower gas prices.

Washington and, indeed, America is shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of Tim Russert.  Mr. Russert was larger than life figure and the Kingston office’s thoughts and prayers go out to the Russert familiy.

NBC has launched a memorial of sorts on their website.  To view it, click here.

In today’s Wall Street Journal, Jonathon Lesser puts it plainly, “to lower gasoline prices permanently, you can reduce demand, increase supply, or do both.”

Sounds pretty logical right?  The problem is that Congressional Democrats don’t seem to understand this fact.  They refuse to increase domestic supply by drilling in ANWR or off shore and their only idea thus far to combat the high price we pay at the pump is a “windfall” profit tax on oil companies.

Sure, oil companies have a lower approval rating than Congress itself so they’re a pretty easy target.  There are just a few glaring issues with this rationale.  First, any American with a retirement plan or investments in a mutual fund is more than likely a stock holder in one of these companies.  Second, these profits are what funds the exploration and research that could prove to be a market-based way out of this crisis.  Finally, as Lesser points out, “unfortunately, by reducing supplies, a windfall profits tax will only lead to even higher prices.”

With Speaker Pelosi and congressional Democrats blocking all the other alternatives, what’s Lesser’s proposal?  Rationing:

“The next obvious step for our solons is to cap demand by rationing gasoline, and then gradually reduce the quantity of ration coupons.

“‘Trading’ in coupons would be encouraged to ensure gasoline is allocated to uses of only the highest value. So Congress could reserve quantities of ration coupons for key lobbyists and their clients. Environmentalists could buy up coupons and “retire” them, lowering gasoline sales even more. Refineries could continue to produce gasoline, but as consumer demand would be sharply limited (and declining), oil companies would be forced to reduce the prices they charge. No more windfall profits! And lower carbon emissions!

“For legislators and environmentalists – if not average citizens – this plan has other virtues: As ration coupons are reduced, consumers would increasingly clamor for more electric cars, cars that ran on French-fry oil, and ‘flex-fuel’ cars that burn everything from gasoline to garbage. Eventually, gasoline could just be banned, reducing prices to zero and eliminating all ill-gotten profits.

“And if Congress then had to tackle French-fry oil speculators and impose a windfall profits tax on Big Spud, well why not?”

Sounds bizarre right?  What Lesser does a good job of pointing out, however satirically, is that if Democrats are blocking the most logically solutions to our problem we’re just going to have to start thinking outside the box.

To weigh in with your thoughts on how to lower gas prices, take Jack’s energy survey by clicking here.

To read Lesser’s full article, click here.

As you may remember, the Kingston interns developed this visual aid to remind everyone that, if ANWR were the size of a basketball court, the area reserved for drilling would be the size of a business card.  (For the full blog post with all the visual aids, click here)

 Jack took to the floor to drive home this message and remind Americans just what the extremists are blocking us from doing - realizing our Nation’s energy independence.

To see Jack’s speech, click below.